Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-01-04
AMERICAS PROGRESS.
Synopsis of the Report of the Senate
Committee on Transportation
Routes to the Seab0ard.
Interesting Statistics Which Throw Much
Light on the Question of Inter
state Commerce.


! WASHINGTON, Jan. 3.-Senator Aldrich,
chairman of the senate committee on
transportation routes to the seaboard,
of the committee upon the subject of rail-
road freights in the United States and
other countries, the study of which for
the purpose of settling certion ques-
lions pertaining to interstate commerce,
has long been in progress by his
committee. The appointment of a special
senate committee on interstate commerce
somewhat modified the work originally
mapped out by the committee on trans
portation routes to the seaboardS, and
th1t committee decided not 10 axe testi-
mony as it was authorized to Go, but to
conduct special line OF inquiry 10 ascer-
tain, if possible, the relstiVe progress Of
grain product Q countries. The complete
report makes 500 pages Of printed matter
and contains many valuable tables and
much information on the subject of trans
portation from nearly every country in
the world.
The first table presented indicates the
progress of the United States for gener-
alton. Thirtythree years ego we pro-
duced 100 090,00 bushels of wheat and
about 600, 900, 900 bushels of corn. Twice
in recent years we have reached 500, 000,-
900 bushels of wheat and in 1885 the corn
crop reached l 800, 900, 900 bushels, q five
fold increase in wheat and a three
fold increase in corn. The increase in
Other products has not been so rapid, nor
are they regarded by the committee as SO
important as the increase IN wheat and
corn. In export trade the committee
says wheat has already ranked
first in value and in fiity-eight years has
added 81, 900, 100000 to the value of our
national production, G sum equivalent to
four times the value of the exported corn
and cornmeal during the same period.
The report shows the countries to which
every oushel of this grain has been eX
ported, and the percentage of exports
each year from 1860 to 1888. The rtport
also shows the movement OF grain within
the United States, end points out what
changes have taken place in the grain
centers of the country since the close of
| the war. The average annual re-
Cepts of gain in Portland, Me-;
in New Orleans, Detroit, Cleveland and
Pit,sburg have remained throughout the
two periods nearly stationary. Boston,
New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco,
| Toledo, Erie, st. Louis and Peoria have,
speaking rOundly, doubled their average
receipts during the latter period. Balti-
more, Louisville and Duluth have in
creased nearly three fold, while the
average annual receipts at Kansas City
have increased nine fold. A marked in
crease is noticeable IN Milwau-
kee and Buffalo, but there has been
| g decided decrease in the re-
ceipts of Oswego and Ogdensburg
The Atlantic ports not only consume vast
quantities of this grain, but the bulk OF
the product is shipped abroad therefrom.
1t is shown by the table that during the
ten years ending with 1883 the average
| annual receipts of cereals of all kinds at
these ports has been in round figures
go, 000,0 900 bushels. Efforts were made
! by the committee to gather the average
| yearly prices Of grain at the various grain
centers Of the United States for series
of years and to show the difference in
the prices per bushel at the various
points between these geographical Sec
lions, which would represent IN meas
ure the freight and the tendency of
the rates of the freight charges.
| 1t is shown, for example, that the differ
ence in the prices of corn between the
Atlantic ports and lake ports has steadily
declined from 81 cents per bushel in 1878
| to 10 cents per busheI in 1888; between
the Atlantic ports and western river
| ports from 10 cents in 1873 to IL cents in
1888. An attempt was made by the COM
mittee to ascertain the rates of freight
| from the principal intermediate points to
| the seaboard, and also from the interme-
date points to principal cities of the va
rious states. This investigation was con-
Quoted in the hope of sscertaining the
facts in regard to the differences OF
rate charged for lorg hauls and short
hauls, and TO throw light upon the vexed
question of long ard short hauls In re-
lation to this inquiry, the committee
says:
"If the returns from which the ahove
summary is constructed may be relied on
and the committee has been careful in Sc
lectiDg only returns that appesrec, upon
their face as correct, the rates charged
for local freight are evidently levied on
the same general principle of what traf-
fic will bear. In Massachusetts, when
the terminals are taken into considera-
ton, the cost of transporting a
bushel of wheat is more nearly
equal than in any state represented
In the summary. Still we find the an
omaly of a lesser rate for three and six
miles than for thirteen miles. IN Pennsyl-
vanis the local rates are higher than in
Massachusetts. In 0aio the rate is about
the same on sixty miles as it is on ninety,
while the long haul of PIC miles instead
of being relatively less is relatively
greater. In Massachusetts, in 1883 it cost
from to cents to transport bushel of
wheat sixty-four miles. The cost in Con-
necticut for transporting the same quail
ity OF grain siXty-two miles was ceuts
in Pennsylvania sixty miles, to cents,
and in Ohio sixty miles, 8 cents. OF
course we find Kansas paying
to 2 cents per bushel for
transporting bushel of wheat forty miles |
and Massachusetts for the same service |
$50 miles 2 cents, while California pays
five to three per bushel for fifty miles.
The committee recognizes the meagre-
ness of these returns, which are very in |
complete aud unsatisfactory. They are
printed moT@ for the purpose of directing |
attention to aline of inquiry which might |
be carried out By the government, and !